Sometimes It Takes A Friend
by writeinspiredraw
Summary: Spoilers for the second half of season 11, so be warned. What if a real conversation between friends and a new understanding could help Hodgins see just what he's been like. Awful summary I know, I suck at these things. Anyway, just give it a go. Rated T because I'm paranoid, and it probably doesn't deserve that rating at all.
**(A/N): Alrighty, so, Hodgins is really angry in these last couple of episodes, and that makes me sad, especially how he's being with Angela. I thought that he really needs to see how much of an ass he's being to her. I know he's hurt and angry and scared but he's giving up, and I love him too much to let that happen, so here is my intervention made before things get worse. This won't happen in the show, so I'm labelling it AU and OOC right here, right now. I don't own Bones, but as always, let me know what you think.**

 **Sometimes it takes a friend.**

"Hodgins."

Hodgins looked up and groaned at the sight of Brennan approaching him looking like a woman on a mission. He was in a bad mood, _again_ , and he wasn't in the mood to hear what was most likely going to be a lecture from his wife's best friend. Unfortunately for him though, she could move quickly enough to block his exit from the small park he'd been situated in, as he'd parked his wheelchair beside a park bench. Shooting him a small glare designed to keep him in place whilst she sat on the bench, Brennan gazed out at the scenery that her friend and colleague was also looking out on. "What? Why can no-one leave me alone?" He demanded angrily.

"Grow up."

"What?" Hodgins asked in shock, turning his head around to Brennan in surprise. Whilst one of the interns had tried the tough love scenario and failed, Hodgins had never expected anything of the sort from the anthropologist.

"Grow up." She slowly turned to face him, her eyes betraying her concern whilst the rest of her face remained harsh. "You're acting like a child. You're not the only one to go through something awful. You are not alone no matter how much you believe that to be true."

"And what would you know about it?" He snapped back in anger at her presumption that she knew what it was like. _No-one_ knew what he was feeling or going through. He was alone.

Brennan sighed. "Because I know what it is like to be told there is no hope, that you will never walk again."

"What?" Hodgins silently cursed himself. 'What' seemed to be the only word that kept making an appearance on his lips around the auburn haired woman and it was annoying him.

"A few years ago, in El Salvador, I was kidnapped and held in a dirt cell for what I later found was three days. I was told repeatedly that I was going to die, and I believed them." She stared straight ahead, not daring to look at the entomologist. "I was not fed, or given water, and I was… tortured. Repeatedly. When I later came round in hospital, I was promptly informed that I would never walk again and that I should just make peace with being in a bed or a chair for possibly the rest of my life." Brennan brushed a tear from her cheek, angry at her inability to keep the droplets from forming, let alone falling. "So, yes, Hodgins, I understand exactly what you're going through."

"I, uh, whoa." Hodgins felt his anger drain as he once again looked at Brennan in a whole new light. Like a light had flicked on somewhere, he felt brighter, lighter, as though he was no longer quite so alone. Sure, he had joined a survivor group, but sometimes that could be worse than being stuck in his own head, reading about how other people had found the positives in their particular situations.

"I didn't have anyone to help me during that time. I truly was alone. You have Angela, and you're taking it out on her. That's not fair. I know that life is seldom fair, but that does not mean you can take that out on your wife. She loves you, even if she cannot truly understand your situation at the moment."

"Dr B, I just… I know she means well, but she'll never totally get it."

"And would you ever want her to go through what you have in order for her to understand it?"

"No." Hodgins felt clarity wash over him, closely followed by guilt at how he'd been treating his wife.

"Exactly. So you cannot berate her for that if you would not want that to happen to her." Brennan pointed out.

"Dr B, if you were told you couldn't walk again, then how…?"

"Am I walking now?" She finished for him with a shrug. "I told the doctor that I refused to accept his diagnosis and demanded a second opinion. The second specialist also told me that the prognosis was bleak, but they did not look upon my medical data with such finality as the first had. Looking back, I see that it gave me hope. After two months of complete bed rest recovery, I made them let me do physical therapy three times a week and refused to give up." She finally turned and shot Hodgins a firm look. "You are wallowing. You've given up."

"The doctor said…"

"Yes. One doctor. Get a second opinion. I will take a look should you wish, and I have many friends that are also qualified to give you their own opinion as well. You have two options here Jack: Fight or Give Up. Which one are you going to choose?"

Hodgins nodded, getting a determined look on his face as he turned his wheelchair to face Brennan. "I'm gonna fight."

"Good. Oh, Hodgins?"

"Yeah?"

"I have never told anyone else the extent of my injuries after I was rescued in El Salvador. Angela would have cried and Booth would have been upset also." Brennan frowned a little. "I hate psychology, but maybe you should talk to someone about it? It may benefit you somewhat."

Hodgins groaned again, though there was no real anger behind it anymore. "Do I have to? Could I just talk to you instead, Dr B?"

"If you want. You need to talk to someone about it all Jack. But first, you need to talk to Angela."

"I know. I'll go home and do that now. I'll call you later though, let you know how it went. And Dr B?"

"Yeah Hodgins?"

"Thank you."

…

Angela glanced up from watching Michael Vincent colour in a picture to see her husband let himself into their home. She frowned, seeing something different about her usually sullen and angry other half. He seemed almost light as he wheeled himself into the living room and offered her a tentative smile. "Hey Ange."

"Hi Jack. Are you alright?"

"No, but I will be." He replied honestly. "I… I just really need to tell you something."

"Anything."

"I… I'm so sorry Ange." Hodgins felt a few tears down his face as his wife launched herself into his arms and hugged him tightly. He felt so guilty about what he'd put her through, but he loved her too, which only made it harder to deal with how he'd behaved. "I'm sorry." He whispered in her ear. "I'm angry, but it's not your fault. It never was. I love you so much Angie."

"I love you too Jack." She pulled back slightly to press a peck to his lips. "What brought all this on?"

"I had some sense knocked into me by a friend. It was the push I needed."

"Well, I'm glad. What happens now?"

"We live the rest of our lives, together. Whatever happens, we can deal with it."

"You really mean that?"

"Yeah, I could either fight or give up. Giving up is not an option. It's a fight and I'm gonna win it."

 **The End**


End file.
